CPP to issue longer ceasefire for amnesty

- The Communist Party of the Philippines said that they will be conducting an indefinite ceasefire once general amnesty is issued

- CPP will issue the truce once political prisoners are released

- The government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) resumed their peace talks on Monday in Oslo, Norway

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Monday, August 22, offered an indefinite ceasefire once the government releases more than 500 political prisoners through a general amnesty approved by Congress.

The CPP said in a statement that the declaration of the ceasefire can be issued once the release of at least five more consultants belonging to the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and of around 520 political prisoners in the country is completed through the general amnesty proclamation.

CPP stated that after the resumption of the formal peace talks, they are hoping that the proclamation of general amnesty which covers all political prisoners will be issued by President Rodrigo Duterte, “in order to encourage the CPP to expeditiously issue its declaration of interim ceasefire during the course of the peace negotiations.”

The government and the NDFP resumed the peace talks on Monday in Oslo, Norway, and is set to end on Aug. 26. Both sides are represented by six negotiators who agreed to the ceasefire. The six representatives for each side faced each other in Holmenkollen Park Hotel’s Nobel Room, and the meeting started at 3:30 p.m., Manila time.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Boerge Brende said that there seemed to be a “historic momentum” for both sides to end the conflict and said: “This is a conflict that has lasted for far too long… I’m really crossing my fingers.”

According to Presidential Adviser to the Peace Process Jesus Dureza, it was symbolic when everyone participating in the peace talks was wearing traditional barong Tagalog and Filipiniana dress during the opening ceremony.

He added that it shows that “we are one undivided nation” and that both side’s road to peace is “not always rosy.”

The CPP said in a statement on Monday, that it could order the National People’s Army rebels “to stand down and remain on active defense” after the ceasefire which is set for seven days and until a unilateral declaration of interim ceasefire is issued. - Kami Media